Carton flap-opening apparatus



March 1967 B. J. ARNETT CARTON FLAP-OPENING APPARATUS l R. e T 4% E 6 N E l f, G 0 m Env (u A S m n a 3 N m i E s Q\ u D A m WV Y B Filed Feb. 27, 1964 N WNFN March 21, 1967 B. J. ARNETT 3 CARTON FLAP-OPENING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 27, 1964 s Sheets-Sheet 2 FIEMZ INVENTOR. BOYD J. ARNETT PATEN'E' M35533? Mar s 21, 1967 B. J. ARNETT 7 9 CARTON FLAP-OPENING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 27, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet (5 INVENTOR. BOYD J. ARF=-ETT PATENT AGENT United States Patent 3,309,342 CARTON FLAP-OPENING APPARATUS Boyd J. Arnett, deceased, late of Los Gatos, Calif; Lillian F. Arnett, 22100 Summit Road, Los Gatos, Calif. 95030, administratrix of estate of Boyd 5. Arnett Filed Feb. 27, 1964, Ser. No. 347,927 7 Claims. (Cl. 53-382) The present invention relates to the art of article handling and, more particularly, to apparatus for opening the unsealed side and end flaps of cardboard cartons or other containers.

Bottles, cans and other articles are conventionally packed for ease of handling and shipment in cardboard cartons or other generally simila containers having inner end flaps and outer side flaps which are sealed after the carton has been loaded. Obviously, in order to load the carton, initially the flaps must be opened and thereafter held in the open disposition during the entire loading operation. Preparatory to the loading operation in the conventional carton loading machine, the carton is manually grasped, the flaps manually opened, and the opened carton then placed on the entrance end of the conveyor utilized to transport the carton through the loading cycle. Since presently utilized carton loading machines operate at relatively high speeds, the operator performing the manual flap-opening and feeding operation must work quickly yet accurately to insure the proper feed disposition of the carton and the simultaneous complete opening of all four flaps. Working rapidly and continuously over an extended period of time, errors in the manual feed arise which can result in jamming of the apparatus and partial destruction of the carton. Either result obviously reduces the output of the apparatus to a degree extremely deleterious to the desired high rate of production.

As a consequence, apparatus of various forms has been designed to automatically open all four flaps of a carton. However, certain problems have been presented because of variations in the flap dispositions of a carton delivered to such apparatus. More particularl while normally the end flaps of a carton are in closed dispositions wherefore the outer side flaps can be initially engaged and opened, upon occasion, one or both of the end flaps is disposed in an open disposition to block the side flap opening function of the apparatus so as to render the apparatus practically inoperative, and furthermore cause jamming and possible destruction of the carton.

Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide apparatus for automatically opening all flaps of a carton regardless of the initial fiap dispositions.

More particularly, it is a feature of the invention to provide a carton flap opening apparatus through which cartons are successively conveyed during which conveyance first the side flaps then the end flaps of each carton are opened.

Additionally, it is a feature of the present invention to provide a carton flap opening apparatus wherein the end flaps are initially moved, if necessary, to dispositions so as not to interfere with a subsequent side flap opening operation.

Another feature of the invention pertains to the automatic opening of all of the carton flaps in direct response to the presence of a carton at a particular position on the frictional conveyor.

A related feature of the invention is the provision for continued conveyance of the carton throughout the entire flap opening process so that rapidity of such operation is assured.

These as well as additional objects and features of the invention will become more apparent from a perusal of ice the following description of the apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a carton flap opening apparatus embodying the present invention,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view taken substantially along line 22 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view diagrammatically illustrating operation of the apparatus in its opening of the side flaps and the trailing end flap of a carton, and

FIG. 4 is a similar longitudinal sectional view diagrammatically illustrating the operation of the apparatus in opening the leading end flap of a carton.

Generally, the illustrated apparatus includes means for conveying a carton in upright disposition along a predetermined path, its inner end flaps and outer side flaps normally resting in substantially closed but unsealed dispositions. During its travel, the outer side flaps are first opened, and the trailing end flap and the leading end flap are then, in turn, opened, wherefore the carton may be delivered to a carton loading apparatus ready for reception of bottles or other contents. Additionally, in accordance with the present invention, means are provided to maintain both the leading and trailing end flaps in horizontal dispositions during that period when the side fiaps are opened, thus to obviate jamming or other difiiculties.

More particularly, as shown in the drawings, the apparatus generally includes a pair of rather squat laterally spaced, hollow standards 10, 10' which support therebetween the means for conveying the cartons along a predetermined path plus the individual flap-opening mechanisms disposed at intervals along such path. The standards 10, 10 are arranged in substantially mirror symmetry on opposite sides of the desired carton path and thus, like other duplicate elements of the apparatus, are

differentiated merely by addition of the prime notation to the identifying numeral. Each standard 10 supports within its hollow interior two spaced vertically-disposed threaded rods 12, 14, each of which is rotatably supported at its upper and lower ends on suitable bearings 16, 18 fixed in vertical alignment on the standards, as best illustrated in FIG. 2. Two of the vertically disposed adjustment rods 12, 12 which are directly opposite one another pass through threaded openings in the opposite ends of a transversely-disposed support member 20 which accordingly bridges the space between the standards 10, 10' and will move upwardly or downwardly upon suitable rotation of the adjustment rods. Similarly, the other two adjustment rods 14, 14' mount a second transverse support member 22 (see FIG. 1) in spaced parallelism to that described. These spaced parallel sup-port members 20, 22, in turn, carry parallel channel members 24, 24 that project in both directions from the standards 10, 10' and carry therebetween a plurality of spaced, parallel shafts 26 upon which a plurality of rollers 28 are supported. The rollers 28 jointly serve as the mobile support for the carton during its traverse of the flap-opening apparatus and through appropriate rotation of the verticallydisposed adjustment rods 12, 14, the level of carton support can be adjusted up or down. To facilitate such adjustment, like sprockets 30 are mounted adjacent the lower end of each of the adjustment rods and -a sprocket chain 32 is trained about all four sprockets so that upon rotation of an actuating crank 34 attached to the upper end of one of the vertically disposed rods 12, all rods will partake of precisely the same amount of rotation; wherefore not only will the carton-supporting level, defined by the rollers 28, be adjusted upwardly or downwardly, but will remain horizontal as desired.

Each of the transversely disposed and vertically adjustable support members 20, 22 carries adjacent its 0pposite ends a pair of brackets, as shown at 40, 40' in FIG. 2, that are slideable along the support member, but

always rise substantially vertically upward therefrom. The brackets 40, 40 on the transverse support members adjacent each standard 10, or respectively, carry a longitudinally extending rail 42 or 42. On each rail 42, a plurality of pulleys 44 are supported for rotation about parallel, vertical axes; each pulley being supported for such rotation at the end of a bracket 46 pivotally supported on the top of the rail 42 and urged inwardly toward the center line of the apparatus by a suitable spring 48. An endless belt 50 is trained over the inwardlyprojecting portion of these pulleys 44 and a pair of larger pulleys 52, 54 adjacent the opposite extremities of the supporting rail 42, such belt on each side of the center line being urged by the described spring-urged pulleys 44 into engagement with the sides of a carton disposed on the previously described rollers 28.

The shafts supporting the larger pulleys, only one shown at 52', at the corresponding ends of the respective rails 42, 42' at the left in FIG. 1 also carry sprockets, only one shown at 56', which are connected by suitable sprocket chains 58, 58', 64 to a drive sprocket 60 suitably driven from an electric motor 62 in a generally conventional fashion. The engagement with the driven sprockets 56, 56' at the ends of the two rails 42, 42 is such that energization of the motor 62 will cause the inner flights of the two belts 50, 50' to move in the same direction and at the same speed to thus serve as the propulsion mechanism for a carton movably supported on the described rollers 28. Additionally, it is to be noted that the resilient urgency of the propelling belts 50, 50 against the sides of the carton not only serves to maintain the propelling contact therewith, but also forces the sides of the carton slightly inwardly which, in turn, effects a slight opening of the carton flaps to initiate the flap-opening operation, as will become more apparent hereinafter.

While the previously described rollers 28 which support the carton can obviously accommodate cartons of widely variant widths, lateral adjustment of the propelling belts 50, 50' is necessitated if cartons of such different width are to be properly handled thereby. Such adjustment is enabled by the slidable support of the rail supporting brackets 40, 40 on the transverse support members 22, as previously mentioned and is accomplished through suitable adjustment means which can take the form described in my prior Patent application, Ser. No. 82,974, now Patent No. 3,141,279. The adjustment is made so that slight pressure against the sides of the carton by the conveyor belts 50, 50' is achieved both to provide good resilient, frictional contact for purposes of such conveyance and to provide the slight inward pressure against the sides of the carton to instigate the initial opening of the flaps, as previously mentioned.

An arched frame member 70 is secured to the upper ends of the standards 10, 10 to form a transverse bridge over the path of carton travel. A transverse member of channel iron 72 is adjustably suspended from this frame member 70 by threaded rods 74 which project upwardly through openings in the frame member to receive adjustment nuts 76 which can be turned to raise or lower such channel member. The transverse channel iron 72, in turn, carries a horizontal elongated frame member 78 that extends centrally over the path of carton travel and supports at various positions therealong the flap engaging elements of the apparatus. More particularly, adjacent the entrance end of the carton conveyor, a side flap opening plow 80 is supported at the lower extremity of an arm 82 whose upper extremity is secured for pivotal motion on a substantially horizontal pin 84 projecting laterally from a rigid support member 86 that is secured to the aforementioned elongated frame member 78 to rise substantially vertically therefrom, as best shown in FIG. 3. The pivoted arm 82 is moved with the plow 80 thereon between its lower operative disposition, as shown in full lines in FIG. 3, immediately above the top of a carton and its inoperative disposition shown in phantom lines in the same figure by means of a hydraulic ram 88 pivotally secured at one end to the pivoted arm 82 and at the other end to a horizontal arm 90 that is welded to the aforementioned vertical support member 86.

A leaf spring 92 projects from one end of a lever 94 pivoted about a horizontal pin 96 mounted at the extremity of a subsidiary frame member 98 secured to the central elongated frame member 78. The other end of the lever 94 is connected by a pivot link 100 to the aforementioned pivoted arm 82 that mounts the side flap opening plOW 80; wherefore movement of such pivoted arm also effects correlated motion of the leaf spring 92. When the plow 80 is in its lower operative full line position, the leaf spring 92 resides in an upwardly projecting full line disposition, as shown in FIG. 3, but when the plow is moved to its upper inoperative phantom line disposition, the leaf spring is pivoted downwardly into an operative disposition whereat its extremity lies immediately above a carton presented thereto.

Conjointly, the side flap opening plow 80 and the leaf spring 92 function to instigate the opening of the side flaps of a carton so that such side fiaps may thereafter be engaged and moved to horizontally spread dispositions by curved flap engaging rods 102, 102' that are adjustably supported from the transverse channel member 72 previously described and as best illustrated in FIG. 2.

Opening of the side flaps of a carton and more particularly actuation of the side flap opening plow 80 and the associated leaf spring 92 is controlled by two microswitches 104, 106 whose arms 108, project laterally into the path of carton motion, as best shown in FIG. 1. When a conveyed carton engages the projecting arm 108 of the first microswitch 104, a solenoid valve (not shown) is energized to effect retraction of the hydraulic ram 88 to thus bring the side flap opening plow 80 downwardly along an arcuate path from the phantom line disposition to the full line disposition of FIG. 3 which is initially in front of the advancing carton. The microswitch arm 108 is positioned so that the side flap plow 80, in its downward movement, will not engage the side flaps and will only engage the leading end flap of the carton if the same is in substantially an upright disposition. If the leading end flap is in such disposition, it will be pushed downwardly into a forwardly projecting substantially horizontal disposition by engagement with the bottom surface of the plow and will be held in this disposition until such forwardly projecting end flap passes under the side fiap opening rods 102, 102 wherefore jamming is eliminated. In most instances, such leading end flap will be in a closed or substantially closed disposition and will remain in such disposition as the side fiap opening plow 80 moves in its arcuate downward movement. In such case, the plow 80 is positioned immediately above and ahead of the leading end flap and exerts a camming force on the outer side flaps to instigate opening thereof as the carton progresses in its travel on the conveyor, such action being illustrated in FIG. 3. The camming action of the plow 80 is suflicient to open the side flaps to upwardly projecting dispositions whereat the side flap opening rods 102, 102' can engage the inner surfaces of the side flaps and eventually effect laterally projecting disposition thereof as carton motion continues.

At the point where a carton has progressed so that its leading edge lies adjacent the side flap opening rods 102, 102, the second microswitch arm 110 is engaged thereby to energize another solenoid valve (not shown) which etfects extension of the hydraulic ram to thus return the side flap opening plow 80 to its upper inoperative disposition, as indicated in phantom lines in FIG. 3. Simultaneously, the leaf spring 92 is moved from its upper full line disposition to its lower operative phantom line disposition so as to maintain the end flaps of the carton in substantially horizontal dispositions during further forward movement of the carton so that, in particular,

there will be no engagement between the trailing end flap of the carton and the side flap opening rods 102, 102' as the carton progresses thereunder. Accordingly, it will .be understood that regardless of the initial dispositions of the end flaps of the carton, the side flap plow 80 will be effective to initiate opening of the side flaps of the carton and subsequent continuation of such opening by the side flap engaging rods 1G2, 102' will be assured without interference by either the trailing or the leading end flap of the carton.

Once the side flaps have been opened, continued conveyance of the carton exposes the end flaps and initially the trailing end flap can be opened as the carton progresses through the apparatus. For this purpose, an arm 120 is pivotally supported from the longitudinally extending frame member 78 and carries a hook 122 at its lower extremity that is arranged to engage the trailing end flap of a carton passing thereunder as illustrated in FIG. 3. A solenoid actuated wedge 124 is arranged to engage the upper end of the arm beyond its pivot point so as to normally hold the hook 122 thereon slightly above the top of a carton against the force of a compression spring 126 which constantly urges the hook 122 downwardly. As a consequence, the hook 122 will pass above the forward end of a carton and not impede or jam continued motion thereof. The actuating arm 128 of a third microswitch 130 is positioned in the path of carton travel so as to be engaged by the leading edge of a carton when such edge has passed under the hook 122, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. When the arm 128 of such microswitch 130 is engaged, the solenoid is energized to withdraw the wedge 124 and, under the force of the described spring 126, the hook 122 is urged downwardly below the carton top to positively assure engagement with the trailing end flap in the fashion shown in FIG. 3. It is to be observed that even if such trailing end flap is depressed within the interior of a carton, the compression spring 126 will urge the arm 128 downwardly until hooked engagement is established. As carton motion continues to the right from the position illustrated in FIG. 3, the trailing end flap is forced to pivot and the arm 128, in turn, pivots upwardly about its pivotal support against the action of the spring 126 to carry the trailing end flap to an open disposition. At this point, the side flaps and the trailing end flap of a carton reside in full open disposition and carton motion continues toward the mechanism for opening the leading end flap hereinafter to be described.

Generally, it will be seen that opening of the side flaps and the trailing end flap have been accomplished with the assistance of the motion of the carton itself. On the other hand, since opening of the leading end flap of a carton entails motion thereof in the same direction as that of carton advance, the mechanism for opening the leading end flap without slowing or stopping carton advance involves the provision of a flap opening member which moves forwardly at a speed greater than that of the advancing carton. More particularly, as best shown in FIG. 4, the leading end flap opening member includes an arm 140 having a hook 142 at its lower extremity and pivotally supported at its upper extremity on a horizontal pin 144 projecting laterally from a carriage 146 mounted for slidable motion along a rod 14% carried below the elongated frame member 78. A tension spring 150 is connected between the upper extremity of the arm 140 beyond its point of pivotal support and the upper end of a bracket 152 that rises rigidly from the carriage 146. Thus, the hook 142 at its lower end is normally urged downwardly towards the carton path. Further downward motion of the arm 140 is limited by a suitable stop 154 rigidly secured to the carriage 146 so that the hook 142 projects slightly below the top of the carton. An upwardly curving extension projects from the hook 142 in a direction opposite to that of carton motion to provide a cam 156 so that when the front edge of an advancing carton engages such cam, the arm 140 is temporarily pivoted upwardly so the cam 156 can slide across the leading end the cam 156 has passed the end flap, the spring once again urges the hook 142 at the lower end of the arm 140 downwardly so as to establish hooked engagement with the edge of the leading end flap, as illustrated in full lines in FIG. 4. It will be observed that the hook 142 can slightly enter the interior of the carton to establish hooked engagement with a slightly depressed end flap and thus assure subsequent opening thereof.

The opening operation is achieved through extension of a hydraulic ram 160 mounted on the elongated frame member 78 and connected at its extremity to the described carriage 146 so as to move the same to the right rapidly from the full line disposition illustrated in FIG. 4 to the extended phantom line disposition. The extension of the hydraulic ram 160 occurs in response to engagement of the leading edge of a advancing carton with the arm 162 of a microswitch 164 which energizes a suitable solenoid valve (not shown) that controls the hydraulic ram. When the ram 160 is act ated to move the carriage 146 to the right, the arm 140 and the hook 142 at the lower end thereof experience translatory motion in the direction of carton advance but at a greater speed, as previously mentioned. The hook 142 thus engages the edge of the leading end fiap and carries the same first to an upward disposition, as indicated intermediately by phantom lines, and finally to a horizontal forwardly projecting disposition also as shown in phantom lines in FIG. 4. The flap engaging hook 142 can partake of the requisite arcuate motion since it is supported on the pivoted arm 140, but during its entire movement is urged firmly against the edge of the flap by action of the spring 150. The leading end flap is maintained in its forwardly projecting horizontal disposition by a central flap engaging rod 164 suitably supported from the elongated frame member 78, this same rod also serving to maintain the horizontal disposition of the trailing end flap as the carbon exits from the apparatus into a suitable loading apparatus. Obviously, such loading apparatus can include side flap and end flap engaging rods of a similar nature which will maintain the spread dispositions of the flaps while the carton is being loaded.

After the leading end flap has been opened in the fashion described, the advancing carton engages the arm of yet another microswitch 172 which energizes another solenoid valve (not shown) which actuates withdrawal or retraction of the hydraulic ram 160 so that the mechanism is readied for opening the leading end flap of a successive carton.

Quite obviously, many modifications and/or alterations can be in the structures described without departing from the spirit of the invention; and the foregoing description is therefore to be considered purely as exemplary and not in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is to be indicated by reference to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A carton flap opener which comprises means for moving a carton in upright disposition along a predetermined path, a carriage supported for movement above and along the carton path, an arm pivotally supported about a horizontal axis on said carriage and arranged to swing downwardly so that the lower extremity thereof can enter the carton path, said arm having a hook at its lower extremity adapted to engage the transversly-disposed edge of one flap of a moving carton, and means for moving said carriage in the direction of carton motion at a speed substantially greater than the speed of carton advance whereby said hook engages and opens the carton flap.

2. A carton flap opener according to claim 1 wherein said carriage-moving means is operative in response to the arrival of a carton at a predetermined position of carton advance to move said carriage in said direction.

3. A carton flap opener according to claim 2 wherein said carriage-moving means is operative in response to arrival of a carton at another predetermined position to move said carriage in the opposite direction.

4. A carton flap opener which comprises means for moving a carton in upright disposition along a predetermined path, an arm supported for pivotal motion about substantially a horizontal axis above the path of carton motion and having a hook at its extremity, means urging said arm into a lower disposition such that said hook enters the path of carton advance, means operative to restrict movement of said arm to a position such that said hook is above the path of carton advance and means responsive to advance of a carton to a position substantially centrally under said hook to render said armrestricting means inoperative whereby said hook is urged into the path of carton advance.

5. A carton flap opener which comprises means for moving a carton in upright disposition along a predetermined path with its outer flaps in sidewise relation, a side-flap opening plow, a pivoted arm mounting said plow at its extremity for arcuate motion in the direction of carton travel and downwardly with respect thereto, and means operative in response to the arrival of a carton at a predetermined position in its advance for actuating arcuate motion of said plow into an operative position immediately ahead of the carton and above its top whereby further carton advance effects opening of its side flaps.

6. A carton flap opener according to claim 5 which comprises a leaf spring, means mounting said leaf spring for pivoted motion into an operative disposition whereat the extremity of said spring is immediately above the path of carton advance.

7. A carton flap opener according to claim 7 which comprises means interconnecting said plow mounting arm and said spring mounting means in a manner such that movement of said plow to its operative disposition removes said leaf spring from its operative disposition.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,890,560 6/1959 Nigrelli et al 53382 3,141,279 7/1964 Arnett 53-382 3,184,898 5/1965 Berney 53-382 3,247,646 4/1966 McIntyre 53382 GRANVILLE Y. CUSTER, JR., Primary Examiner. 

1. A CARTON FLAP OPENER WHICH COMPRISES MEANS FOR MOVING A CARTON IN UPRIGHT DISPOSITION ALONG A PREDETERMINED PATH, A CARRIAGE SUPPORTED FOR MOVEMENT ABOVE AND ALONG THE CARTON PATH, AN ARM PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS ON SAID CARRIAGE AND ARRANGED TO SWING DOWNWARDLY SO THAT THE LOWER EXTREMITY THEREOF CAN ENTER THE CARTON PATH, SAID ARM HAVING A HOOK AT ITS LOWER EXTREMITY ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE TRANSVERSLY-DISPOSED EDGE OF ONE FLAP OF A MOVING CARTON, AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAID CARRIAGE IN THE DIRECTION OF CARTON MOTION AT A SPEED SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN THE SPEED OF CARTON ADVANCE WHEREBY SAID HOOK ENGAGES AND OPENS THE CARTON FLAP. 